Hello, students, this is Nilofer, and let us start with the activities of another lesson that is ‘A Long Rally Ahead’. As you all know this lesson tells us about journey of Saina Nehwal through sports, her journey through sports. Let us start with the activities.

Pre-reading skills: Read the text carefully and select proper alternative from the following:

Let us see, the first line, the title ‘A Long Rally Ahead’ refers to Saina’s journey of life, journey of education or journey in sports. As we all know this lesson is an appreciative write up about Saina’s journey in sports, right. And rally, it’s name itself says it is a journey, okay.

Let us see, the theme of the text is qualities of a player, qualities of Saina as a player or how to play. As we all know that this is a write up about Saina Nehwal, right.

The tone of the write up is, appreciative, critical or satirical. It is appreciative. Mr. Padukone very beautifully describes her quality, right, that how she is excellent in everything, in the sports that she is pursuing, right. Okay, next.

The language of the write up is easy to understand, complex or literary. He hasn’t used any literary words, right, the write up is really very easy. Okay, next.

The presenter of the write up is the first person, the second person, the third person. Right, let us understand this, it is the third person as Mr. Padukone is writing about Saina Nehwal, he is the third person telling about Saina Nehwal, right. So here ‘I’ when he speaks ‘I’, right, he is referring to himself, so he is the third person writing the write up.

Okay, next, 7^th activity, paragraph and summarizing. Write a title that sums up the paragraph, (one is done for you). Now let us see, this is the paragraph that is given to us.

Saina is exceptional, this paragraph, she is exceptional, she is technically fit and mentally fit, right. So we will give the title ‘Mental and physical qualities of Saina, okay. This paragraph describes her mental and her physical capabilities, right.

Next, personally I have …..well as tournaments. So this is actually applauding Indian women in sports, right. This is describing or saying that it is Indian women who are in the forefront in sports field, right.

Okay, next. Even though….on her defence as well. Here scope of improvement, though he is appreciating Saina’s qualities as a sportswoman she also has some scope for improvement. He is actually defining the forehand side that she should improve on her forehand side, okay.

Next, full credit ….. behind the scenes. He is giving all her team, her team of coach, right, her physiotherapist and all other persons behind the scenes, right, so he is crediting them for her success, right.

Okay, great. Now activity 8: True or False. State whether the following statements are true or false:

1. Saina Nehwal consistently performed for four weeks. False.

Here we have the correct answer. It is, personally it has been three great weeks of consistent performance, right. Next.

2. Saina Nehwal is different from other players because she has all the two qualities of a player. Are there two qualities? False. There are three. So here we have the line which says ‘Abundance of all the three attributes is vital, can be in the best of in the world’. Okay, next.
3. Another great quality of Saina is her self belief and never-say-die attitude. True.

It is her self belief and never-say-die attitude that keeps her going, right. Next.

4. While playing Saina depends on her low serves. True.

Here we have the line which says, ‘She has started depending mentally on her low serves’, okay. Next.

5. Full credit to her coach, Pullela Gopichand. True.

She has given full credit to her coach, Pullela Gopichand, right, okay.

So with this we end the module here. Thank you.